Juan Alvarado Vazquez, a 17-year-old Bunn High School senior known to friends as “Wavy,” was killed Saturday night when an SUV crashed into a tree in Franklin County, North Carolina. Five other teenagers who were riding in the vehicle were also hurt.
The crash happened shortly before 11 p.m. on N.C. 98 at Bethlehem Church Road. According to investigators, the SUV was traveling eastbound when it crossed the center line, ran off the road and slammed into a tree.
Alvarado Vazquez was pronounced dead after the crash. He was a senior at Bunn High School, where his death has left classmates, teachers, coaches and staff dealing with the sudden loss of a young member of their school community.
Five other teenagers were injured in the wreck. Authorities had not released further details about their conditions at the time of the report.
Investigators said alcohol is not suspected to have played a role in the crash. They are still working to determine exactly what led the SUV to leave its lane and run off the roadway.
The news quickly reached Bunn High School, where students and staff were left mourning a classmate whose life ended in a matter of seconds. The school’s principal told students and families that Juan’s death would be deeply felt across the school community.
Grief counselors were made available at Bunn High School throughout the week for students and others who needed help dealing with the loss. For many at the school, the crash was not simply another traffic accident. It was the sudden death of someone they knew.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has also been created to help Juan’s family with funeral expenses. As the investigation continues, his family, friends and school community are left remembering a teenager who was still looking ahead to what should have been the next chapter of his life.
Leave a Reply